Building construction



Sept. 24, 1963 J. N. BEARDE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 30, 1959 TOR. EARDE INVEN 5 JOHN N A TTORNEY Sept. 24, 1963 J. N. BEARDE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 30, 1959 Fla. 6

INVENTOR. BEARDE.

N N W J W W W T TORNEYS Sept. 24, 1963 J. N. BEARDE- 3, 0

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed April 30, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l '86 //6 a INVENTOR.

JOHN N. BEARDE MM MA/VW ATTORNEYS F16. IO

United States Patent 3,104,427 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION John N. Bearde, 1282 Eaton Road, Berkley, Mich. Filed Apr. 30, 1959, Ser. No. 809,938 9 Claims. (Cl. 20-2) This invention relates to a type of building construction wherein walls are formed by a number of panels Whose adjacent sides are complementally contoured and interengaged and whose end portions are supported by frame members or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive Wall structure improved so that the panels can be rapidly and conveniently erected and so that each panel can be removed or replaced while leaving the remaining structure undisturbed.

The invention generally contemplates providing the interengaged portions of the adjacent panels and frame members with such a contour that the panels can be freely swung relative to each other to disengaged relation and also providing each panel with a relieved portion which will clear the supporting frame member to facilitate this swinging movement. One form of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a partly diagrammatic perspective view illustrating a building constructed in accordance with this invention.

FIGS. 2 through 6 are partly diagrammatic fragmentary sectional views taken on the respectively numbered section lines of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view illustrating the joints between adjacent wall panels.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary generally elevational view of a joint between two panels and a frame member.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section view on line 9-9 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating structure of a panel.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary partly diagrammatic plan view of a joint between adjacent panels with a beam in place, parts being broken away to illustrate structure, and a panel member being shown in dotted lines in a position for removal.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view illustrating a modified form of a beam member.

Shown in FIG. 1 is a building constructed according to this invention. The building includes a conventional footing or foundation 22 supporting plates 24 to which the panels forming the side walls of the building are secured. These panels include corner panels 26. A plate or beam 28 extends along each side of the building between corner panels 26. Beams 28 are secured to and supported by the corner panels. Wall panels such as those shown at 30-42 are fastened to plates 24 and beams 28. These panels interengage each other .and engage corner panels 26 in a manner to be described.

Roof plates 44 are supported on top of beams '28 and roof panels 4652 are supported by plates 44 and by beam members 54 secured to a ridge beam 56. Where the roof of the building is sloped, as in the present illustration, .a wedge member 58 may be provided between beam 28 and plate 44. Also where the roof is sloped, the end walls above the waistline of the building are provided by wedge shaped panels 60 and 62 secured to plates 64 supported by beams 28 and secured to an upper plate 66 in turn fastened to a front roof beam member 68. The floor of the building is provided by mounting floor plates 70 on foundation 22 and supporting floor panels 72 thereon as represented in FIG. 3.

The structure thus comprises generally a frame which includes plates 24, corner panels 26, beams 28, plates 44 and roof beam members 54, 56, 64, and 68. The frame may also be considered to include floor plates 70. The various panels are secured to their respective beam members and plates in the manner generally illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 11. Selected for illustration in these figures are panels 40 and 42 and their connection to beam 28.

Each of these panels has adjacent its ends a contoured end edge portion 74 which is complemental to a contoured side portion 76 of beam 28. Each panel also has contoured end edge portions 78 and 88 extending along its opposite sides. These side contours are disposed toward opposite faces of the panel and are preferably identical in shape so that when two panels are disposed side by side, their side contoured portions may be interengaged. Thus when the panels are erected into a building, the contoured portion at one end engages .a frame member such as beam 28; the contoured portion at the other end of the panel engages another member such as plate 24; and the adjacent panels have their side contoured portions interengaged. The end portions of the panels are secured to the frame members by suitable means such as bolts 82 and adjacent panels are also secured together by suitable means such as bolts 84 extending through their interengaged portions as illustrated in FIG. 9.

Each panel is notched adjacent one top corner (FIG. 10) forming a shoulder 86 which is spaced from the extreme end of the panel by a distance approximating the width of the contoured portion of beam 28. Shoulder 86 is preferably parallel to the direction of extent of beam 28 so that when the beam and panels are assembled, the notch is concealed by the beam (FIG. 8). The other shoulder 88 formed by the notch is shown as being parallel to a side of the panel for abutting engagement against the unnotched corner portion 90 of the adjacent panel, in this case panel 40. Each panel is similarly notched adjacent the bottom corner on the same side of the panel as the upper notched corner, forming shoulders (not shown) corresponding to shoulders 86 and 88. As shown in FIG. 10 the unnotched corner 98 of the panel may have a recess 92 in its end contoured portion 74 but this recess performs no particular function, merely being a continuation of side contour 78 which is formed in passing the side of the panel through a shaping tool or machine. The panels have portions which interengage along generally a line of contact providing an axis A about which adjacent panels may be rocked or swung relative to each other. This line of contact is along the extreme edge 94 of the unnotched panel side and the edge 96 formed by the juncture of contouring 88 of the notched panel side and a face 98 of the panel as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Axis A is thus disposed substantially at the juncture of face portions 98 of the adjacent panels.

To assemble the structure, the various frame members described above are erected on foundation 22 and secured together by suitable means. The panel members are then' assembled on the frame members. Generally this is done simply by setting the panel members in place, securing them to the frame members as by bolts and securing the panels to each other. As will be apparent from the drawings, the panels of any wall, the roof, or the floor may simply be set in place successively withtheir contoured end portions 74 interengaged with the complemental contouring of the respective frame members such .as beam 28 and with their oppositely disposed contoured portions 78 and interengaged.

Assuming that panels 36, 38 and 40 have been assembled in this manner, to add panel 42 to the structure, its top. shoulder 86 is inserted beneath beam 28, its corresponding bottom shoulder is inserted over plate 24,'and itsedge portion 96 engages against the extreme edge 94 of panel 40. This position of the parts is represented in broken engages with the complemental contouring in corner panel 26. Similarly, the contoured portions at the bottom of the panel interengage with the contoured portion of plate 24. Panel 42 is then secured in place by means of bolts 82 and 84.

Any of the wall, roof, or floor panels may be removed independently without disturbing the adjacent structure merely by removing the bolts 82 and 84, securing it in place, and swinging it about its axis A relative to the adjacent panels to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 11 and then lifting the panel out of place. Similarly, any panel may be replaced Without disturbing the adjacent structure by the reverse process.

It will be noted that the contouring of the various panel members and frame members is such that the interengaged portions of the contouring will freely disengage without obstruction to facilitate the swinging movement. For example, as shown in FIG. 9 the portions of the contouring extending inwardly from the faces of the panels are slightly angled so that no interlocking takes place which would obstruct free disengagement of the contoured portions. Also the notched construction at the corners of the panels facilitates swinging the panels Without obstructive interference between the frame members such as beam 28 and the panel members.

The various panels may be made with various types of openings therein, for example, to provide windows 1% a door 102 or a different kind of window 104. The panels may also have openings for a chimney 1% and while not shown specifically, it will be appreciated that the various wall, roof and floor panels may be provided with openings for utility ducts such as plumbing, heating ducts, and the like.

The panels may be arranged as desired to suit specific architectural plans and, if a building should be altered after once being erected, the panels may be simply removed and replaced by panels of a different type to effect the change. For example, if door 102 were to be removed from the front wall (FIG. 1) to a side wall, panel 36 and panel 32, for example could be interchanged by the simple procedure described.

'In some instances, a wall may not contain an even number of contoured panels so that two panels such as 38 and 40, having similarly disposed contoured edge portions, would be used adjacent each other. In this situation, a filler member 107 having a contoured face 109 is merely engaged with the adjacent contoured sides of the panels and secured in place as by bolts 32 and 84. The various panels in a wall may have different widths and in some constructions a relatively narrow panel may be required to complete a wall as in the case of roof panel 52. Panel 52 and member 107 can be removed and replaced Without disturbing adjacent members as is obvious from FIGS. and 6.

The panels may be made ofany suitable form retaining material such as wood or a fiber board or a rigid type plastic foam. The side and end con-touring of the panels may be formed in the case of wood by shaping tools or in the case of plastic by moulding.

The frame members may be made of suitable material, such as Wood, having the requisite structured strength and the contouring thereof formed as by passing the member through a shaping'tool. If the member is made of metal .as illustrated at 112 in FIG. 12,-the contouring may be formed by extrusion or rolling or other suitable methods.-

In the construction illustrated in FIGS. 7 through ll, beam 28 extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal extent of panels 40 and 42 and shoulder 36 is perpendicular to the side portions of the panel and parallel to the beam. While not illustrated in the drawings, it will be appreciated that shoulders in wedge shaped panels 60 and 62, analogous to shoulders 86, will be angled to the side edgesof' these panels generally parallel to the slope of beams 66 so that they may pass generally unobstructedly beneath beams 66 in assembly, removal, or replacement of panels 60 and 62.

Preferably, the contouring along the sides of the panels is such as to interlock and prevent any relative movement of adjacent panels in the general plane of the panels. To

this end each side contour includes a protrusion 108 which extends through more than half the thickness of j the panel and a recess or groove 11%) deeper than half the thickness of the panel. Thus when the protrusions and recesses are interlocked, the panels may not be pulled laterally away from each other or rotated relatively to each other in their own planes.

Similarly, the end contouring of the panel has a protrusion 112 and a recessed portion 114 engageable respectively with a recess 116 and a protrusion 11% on the beam member engaged thereby, these protrusions and recesses interlocking to prevent movement of the panel in its own plane relative to the beam. Thus when a wall is erected as described, its component parts are rigidly restrained against relative movement, thus providing a strong wall construction.

I claim:

1. Panel structure for use in forming building walls, floors, and the like comprising,

means forming a panel having oppositely disposed faces, side edges, and end edges,

said side edges being contoured to provide oppositely facing, longitudinally extending recesses,

each recess having a first surface portion extendingin a direction away from one face of the panel, toward the other face of the panel and away from the oppo site edge of the panel, 1

each recess having a second surface portion extending in a direction away from said other face, toward said one face and toward said opposite side edge of the panel, each recess having a third, reversely turned surfac portion interconnecting said first and second sur face portions, said reversely turned surface portion defining a groove contiguous to said first surface portion and a projection contiguous to said second surface portion, said groove and projection having a common side wall which, progressing from said groove toward said projection, extends in a direction away from said other face, toward said one face and away from said opposite side edge of the panel,

said first surface portion of each recessintersecting one panel face at a longitudinally extending corner portion,

said recesses having complementary configuration to facilitate assembly of a succession of said panels with the surface portions of their recesses interengaged,

said corner portion defining an axis of relative rotation for adjacent interengaged panels,

said surface portions of each recess, progressingifrom said corner portion successively along said first,

third and second surface portions, being progressively further removed from said corner portion,.so that the mterengaged surface portions of adjacent panels freely disengage responsive to swingingbf a panel about one of said axes.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said recesses have substantially identical configuration.

3. Building construction comprising, a plurality of panels as defined in claim 1, said panels having the surface portions of their recesses interengaged to -form a wall, roof, floor, or the like, and frame members secured in supporting relation to said panels. 7

4. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said panel has adjacent at least one end an end edge disposed generally toward one of the panel faces and being adapted to be supportingly engaged with a frame member of a building,

the surface portions of the recess facing oppositely from the latter-said panel face terminating at a shoulder, said shoulder being longitudinally spaced from said one end,

said one axis being adjacent the recess having said shoulder, so that when said panel is swung about said one axis, said shoulder is free to swing past a supporting frame member with which said end edge is adapted to be engaged.

5. Building construction comprising, a plurality of panels as defined in claim 4, said panels having the surface portions of their recesses interengaged to form a wall, roof, floor, or the like, and a frame member engaged with said end edge of each of said panels, said side edge of each panel opposite that having said shoulder extending beyond said shoulder of the adjacent panel in concealing relation thereto.

6. The structure defining in claim 4 wherein said end edge has recessing which extends substantially perpendicular to said longitudinally extending recesses between the inner edge of said shoulder and the opposite side edge, said recessing being adapted for supporting engagement with the building frame member.

7. The panel structure defined in claim 4 wherein said panel has end edges contoured similarly to said side edges to provide recesses which extend transversely of said longitudinal recesses, both of the end recesses facing in a direction opposite to the side recess terminating at said shoulder.

8. Building construction comprising, a plurality of panels as defined in claim 6, said panels having the surface portions of their said longitudinal recesses interengaged to form a Wall, roof, floor, or the like, and a frame member shaped similarly to and supportingly engaged within said recessing of each of said panels.

9. Building construction comprising a plurality of panels as defined in claim 7, said panels having the surface portions of their side recesses interengaged to form a wall, roof, floor, or the like, and frame members having surfaces shaped similarly to the surfaces defining the end recesses of said panels, said frame member surfaces being supportingly engaged with said end recess surfaces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 765,930 Mahony July 26, 1904 1,444,611 Johansson Feb. 6, 1923 1,775,681 Marino Sept. 16, 1930 1,873,522 Abbott Aug. 23, 1932 1,990,300 Miller Feb. 5, 1935 2,255,194 Stout Sept. 9, 1941 2,407,004 Guignon 2 Sept. 3, 1946 2,453,326 Lambert Nov. 9, 1948 2,564,691 Heiles Aug. 21, 1951 2,805,852 Malm Sept. 10, 1957 2,883,711 Kump Apr. 28, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,163,696 France Apr. 28, 1958 OTHER REFERENCES Manual on Modular System of Prefabrication, Publications Branch, Air Sv. Command, Patterson Fld., Ohio, Jan. 1, 1944. 

1. PANEL STRUCTURE FOR USE IN FORMING BUILDING WALLS, FLOORS, AND THE LIKE COMPRISING, MEANS FORMING A PANEL HAVING OPPOSITELY DISPOSED FACES, SIDE EDGES, AND END EDGES, SAID SIDE EDGES BEING CONTOURED TO PROVIDE OPPOSITELY FACING, LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING RECESSES, EACH RECESS HAVING A FIRST SURFACE PORTION EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM ONE FACE OF THE PANEL, TOWARD THE OTHER FACE OF THE PANEL AND AWAY FROM THE OPPOSITE EDGE OF THE PANEL, EACH RECESS HAVING A SECOND SURFACE PORTION EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID OTHER FACE, TOWARD SAID ONE FACE AND TOWARD SAID OPPOSITE SIDE EDGE OF THE PANEL, EACH RECESS HAVING A THIRD, REVERSELY TURNED SURFACE PORTION INTERCONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND SURFACE PORTIONS, SAID REVERSELY TURNED SURFACE PORTION DEFINING A GROOVE CONTIGUOUS TO SAID FIRST SURFACE PORTION AND A PROJECTION CONTIGUOUS TO SAID SECOND SURFACE PORTION, SAID GROOVE AND PROJECTION HAVING A COMMON SIDE WALL WHICH, PROGRESSING FROM SAID GROOVE TOWARD SAID PROJECTION, EXTENDS IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID OTHER FACE, TOWARD SAID ONE FACE AND AWAY FROM SAID OPPOSITE SIDE EDGE OF THE PANEL, SAID FIRST SURFACE PORTION OF EACH RECESS INTERSECTING ONE PANEL FACE AT A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CORNER PORTION, SAID RECESSES HAVING COMPLEMENTARY CONFIGURATION TO FACILITATE ASSEMBLY OF A SUCCESSION OF SAID PANELS WITH THE SURFACE PORTIONS OF THEIR RECESSES INTERENGAGED, SAID CORNER PORTION DEFINING AN AXIS OF RELATIVE ROTATION FOR ADJACENT INTERENGAGED PANELS, SAID SURFACE PORTIONS OF EACH RECESS, PROGRESSING FROM SAID CORNER PORTION SUCCESSIVELY ALONG SAID FIRST, THIRD AND SECOND SURFACE PORTIONS, BEING PROGRESSIVELY FURTHER REMOVED FROM SAID CORNER PORTION, SO THAT THE INTERENGAGED SURFACE PORTIONS OF ADJACENT PANELS FREELY DISENGAGE RESPONSIVE TO SWINGING OF A PANEL ABOUT ONE OF SAID AXES. 